This invention relates to monitoring electronic components secured to a circuit board, and more particularly to monitoring the effects of moisture exposure associated with those components.
Reflow soldering is a manufacturing process used to secure electronic components to a circuit board. In particular instances, several electronic components may be secured to the same circuit board by performing several sequential reflow soldering processes on the same circuit board. As an example, a first electronic component may be reflow soldered to a circuit board. Then, some time later, a second electronic component may be reflow soldered to the same circuit board. During the later reflow soldering process, the first electronic component may be exposed to elevated temperatures. This elevated temperature can cause any trapped moisture within the body of the first electronic component to expand rapidly, and thereby damage the electronic component. Such damage may, of course, become immediately apparent. However, in certain instances, the damage may remain undetected until the circuit board containing the damaged component has been installed into some end product.